Donated boots on way to teams

The first shipment of sports boots gifted to Hawke's Bay Today has left the building.

Early last month Magpies first five-eighth Ihaia West launched the Bring yer Boots campaign by donating a pair of his playing boots.

The initiative had since experienced a groundswell of support throughout the region, with locals recycling playing boots of all shapes and sizes.

Yesterday Sport Hawke's Bay - with a handful of school representatives in tow - called into Hawke's Bay Today's Hastings office and picked up the 200-odd donated pairs of boots for distribution.

Hawke's Bay Today editor Andrew Austin said he was proud to support the initiative.

"We've had a far greater response that we could ever had imagined," he said.

"After the boots were taken yesterday we had another 30-40 pairs from Napier dropped in.

"It's ongoing and it's great to know the boots will be going to those who need them. Boots can often be the most expensive item in any winter kit.

"I want to sincerely thank all those who have made the campaign such a success and freely gifted the boots," Mr Austin said.

Three weeks after it was launched, the owner of the New Zealand arm of worldwide franchise operation The Athlete's Foot, Ed Connolly, donated a dozen new pairs of boots.

The idea to donate the old season's boots to a good cause instead of knocking them down at reduced prices came after Mr Connolly read of the campaign.